Preview - NYC Community Affairs Unit Update 02.06.2023

Dear New Yorker,

Happy Black History Month! Black history is New York City history. During Black History Month, we honor those who have paved the way and celebrate those who continue to build our city and lead.

Last week, CAU partnered with the community for a World Hijab Day event on the steps of City Hall. We celebrate the millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab.

Mayor Adams has recently launched two initiatives to communicate directly with New Yorkers. New Yorkers can sign up here to hear directly from Mayor Adams about new initiatives, local events, and more – all tailored to your interests. The ‘Get Stuff Done-Cast’ is a twice-monthly podcast where he will interview New Yorkers from all walks of life. Check it out on podcast platforms including Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Apple, and more!

For the latest updates, please follow CAU on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out the Mayor’s ‘Week In Review’ video below!

All the best,

Fred Kreizman

Commissioner, Community Affairs Unit

Key Updates:

A bigger NYC EITC. Full refund. Your family deserves it. Get it back.

IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparers.

In-person or online options.

No fees so you get more money from credits like the NYC Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

If you earn $80,000 or less, file for free with NYC Free Tax Prep.

NYC Service Partnership Applications

All 501c3 organizations in NYC are welcome to apply to host NYC Civic Corps members! NYC Service recruits and places full-time NYC Civic Corps AmeriCorps members at select partnering community-based organizations for 10 months. NYC Service is accepting applications that demonstrate how members would advance the partner organization’s mission through building, developing, or managing volunteer programs. Organizations are notified of acceptance in the Spring and are expected to host members Sept. ‘23 - June ‘24.

Applications must be submitted by February 22, 2023. Interested or have questions? Visit nyc.gov/hostciviccorps for more information and to apply!

Volunteer Engagement Trainings by NYC Service:

Neighborhood Engagement Toolkit (NET) Training Series on 1/31 and 2/7 for nonprofits and community-based organizations interested in maximizing their impact by leveraging partnerships and volunteers. Register to attend the trainings.

The Online Volunteer Recruitment Training Series on February 2 and February 9 is available for not-for-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, public educational institutions, and government agencies. Participants will learn about our new volunteer recruitment platform, best practices, and how to market their opportunities. Register to attend the trainings.

Fire Safety Education Program

The goal of the Fire Safety Education Program is to eliminate residential fire deaths in New York City. Fire deaths have dropped steadily during the past decades and studies have shown that there is a direct link to strong public education programs. The goal of FDNY instructors is to continually educate the public with critical lifesaving strategies that focus on fire prevention, with a special focus on the City's most vulnerable populations and at-risk communities.

The program includes:

Presentations at local schools and community centers in New York City.
Planned visits to New York City firehouses or EMS stations.

Hands-on practice inside the Department's Mobile Fire Safety Experience Trailer.
Community outreach at events, such as street fairs, parades and more.
Visits from Hotdog, the FDNY fire safety mascot, or Siren, the FDNY life safety mascot.

Request a Presentation

The Fire Safety Education Unit is specially trained to conduct public education and community outreach. To ensure your request for a presentation is fulfilled, please give a minimum two weeks' notice.

Go to FDNY Smart to Request a Presentation

Temporary Water Bill Amnesty

As New York City recovers from the pandemic, DEP is offering this limited one-time amnesty with up to 100% interest forgiveness for all delinquent customers. If you owe water and wastewater charges, you may be eligible for this amnesty offer.

To confirm your eligibility, see your available options and receive amnesty immediately, use the Amnesty Look Up Tool below.

If your remaining delinquent balance is greater than $500, you will be required to enter into a new payment agreement with DEP upon request.
Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this one-time amnesty program before it ends.

For questions or concerns, please see our FAQ’s.

In case you missed it:

At yesterday's #Caribbean Advisory Council meeting, we discussed how the Mayor's Office can work together with the Caribbean community to #GetStuffDone. 👍 pic.twitter.com/m0yGjq3NoO

— Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (@mayorsCAU) February 2, 2023

.@mayorsCAU Muslim Women Liaison partnered with SAFEST for a #WorldHijabDay event on the #CityHall steps. Thank you to all who came out to celebrate! 🧕 pic.twitter.com/UshWKAIZ1G

— Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (@mayorsCAU) February 2, 2023

Highlights From the City Hall Press Office:

Mayor Announced Roadmap for Nation’s Largest Compost Collection Program: Mayor Adams laid out details, over the coming 20 months, for weekly collection of compostable material that will become an automatic, guaranteed, free, year-round service for every single resident across all five boroughs. While curbside composting programs have existed in New York City for the last decade, none have ever served more than approximately 40 percent of the city. This will be the first-ever specific plan and commitment to reach 100 percent coverage citywide, providing residents with simple, universal weekly collection of leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper products.

Mayor Launched Temporary Water Bill Amnesty Program: DEP is offering a limited one-time amnesty with up to 100% interest forgiveness for all delinquent customers to help New Yorkers clear their debt and save money. This program will only run for 90 days, from January 30, 2023 to April 30, 2023. To receive amnesty and confirm eligibility, or for more information, customers should visit DEP’s water amnesty website or call (718) 595-7000.

Mayor Kicked Off Tax Season With Free Tax Prep Services: NYC Free Tax Prep provides free, professional, tax preparation that can help New Yorkers keep their full refund, including valuable tax credits, like the newly enhanced New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (NYC EITC). Single-filing New Yorkers who earned $56,000 or less in 2022 or families who earned $80,000 or less are encouraged to file their taxes for free using NYC Free Tax Prep. The new NYC Free Tax Prep for self-employed New Yorkers will also provide income tax services to freelance workers and small businesses. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began accepting tax returns on Monday, January 23rd and will continue to do so until Tuesday, April 18.

Additional Resources:

Food Help NYC: Free food locations including food pantries & soup kitchens.

NYC Well: Free, confidential mental health support in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365. Call 888-NYC-WELL or text “WELL” to 65173.

Mental Health For All: A comprehensive hub with helplines and services that offer a range of free, direct support to meet the needs of all New Yorkers.

Buildings After Hours: Free in-person information session with DOB staff every Tuesday from 4 PM to 7 PM at your local borough office.

COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Illnesses: Resources including test kits, treatment, vaccines, and masks available to New Yorkers as New York City experiences high levels of COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory viruses.

Notify NYC: Enroll for free in New York City’s dedicated emergency public communications program.

311: Non-emergency municipal services available online, by texting 311-692, or by calling 3-1-1 from within the City or 212-NEW-YORK outside the five boroughs. TTY service is also available by dialing 212-504-4115.

{{Disclaimer}}

Mayor's Office--Community Affairs
253 Broadway 9th Fl
New York, NY 10007
United States

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